Dr. Blake Washington, Jr. was something of a wonder in his field. Starting out as an anthropologist, he moved quickly into the field of archeology and left his mark on whatever subject he dabbled in. Working with the Inuit people, he helped uncover major pieces of their history, thought lost to ice and time. He lived with the fierce Yanamamo people for years in the Amazonian jungle, where he learned and recorded more of their language and chronicled the history of their many warring tribes. So when he discovered a previously unknown pyramid under the shifting sands of Egypt's Sahara desert, his colleagues were certainly impressed, but hardly surprised.

Leading the exploration team himself, the newly discovered contents of the pyramid were quickly coveted by many private collectors and museums, the Smithsonian and the British Museum chief among these. Preferring the untouched pieces of history relatively untouched, Dr. Washington set up the pyramid as an exhibit in of itself, largely closed to the public, but open to students and researchers. The mystery of this hidden structure was that of its occupants. Or, rather, the apparent lack thereof. Chambers full of treasures, artifacts, and offerings were plentiful, but no sarcophagi were located, or even pharaohs named in the hieroglyphics covering the walls. At least, not until the secret chamber was located.

Dr. Washington made his way through a hidden maze, solving ancient puzzles and avoiding all manner of traps, to eventually find a golden chamber marked with the insignia of Ra, the Egyptian Sun God. The walls of this room were lined with dozens of sarcophagi of solid gold, but at the center of the chamber stood a pedestal. Embedded in the stone column was a long wooden staff with a gem-encrusted sun of gold at its end, seemingly unaffected by the ages.

Upon entering the room, Dr. Washington felt a pull from the staff - a draw unlike anything he had ever experienced. He quickly moved to the staff, and, ignoring years of training and what he knew should happen if he were to touch such an ancient artifact, he grasped the staff in both hands, pulling it free from the column. Bright sunlight filled the subterranean chamber, bursting forth from the archaeologist's eyes and open mouth. He felt his mind opened to a whole new plane of existence, as centuries of knowledge coursed through him. This was not a burial chamber for a pharaoh, but for a hero. Many heroes, in fact. Unbeknown to modern man, the stories of the Egyptian Sun God, Ra, came from the stories of various men who held that staff, each passing it off to a new hero when defeated. The entire pantheon of what was thought to be Egyptian Gods were beings who gained power through relics from an even older time.

Knowing he had to keep this chamber a secret, Dr. Washington, now the embodiment of Ra, resealed the chamber and reset the traps, hiding the entrance to the maze that brought him here. He knew he had a part to play in the future, now, and that there were villains in the world who he had the power to stop. The exhibit would hide the true nature of the pyramid, and Ra, born again, would once again defend the world from evil.

Ra: Horus of Two Horizons

When The Ennead made their modern-day appearance, destroying any population centers they entered and calling out their challenge for Ra to come and face them, the heroes of the world immediately took notice. None so fast as Ra himself, who arrogantly sought them out alone to meet their challenge. The combined might of The Ennead proved to be greater than Ra anticipated, however, and he was defeated in a massive battle which left the surrounding cities and desert even more of a wasteland.The fight with The Ennead left Ra stunned and shattered. He could not remember who he was, nor that there was a part of him that used to be Dr. Blake Washington, Jr. The being formerly known as Ra wandered into the desert, disappearing from the public eye entirely for years.Meanwhile, The Ennead continued their assault on the world, drunk with power and thirsting for more! Various teams of heroes, such as the Freedom Five, took them on and managed to quell their attacks for some time, but The Ennead proved consistently able to regroup and recover, redoubling their efforts each time.Now, years later, The Ennead are met with a new challenger who reminds them of an ancient foe they once had. Ra has returned from his wandering, but he seems something more...